Track shoe



Feb. 14, 1967 R BQE|NG 3,303,586

TRACK SHOE Filed NOV. 30, 1965 ./7? z/ezz for.'

United States Patent 3,303,586 TRACK SHOE Robert Boeing, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to Brunswick Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 30, 1965, Ser. No. 510,536 3 Claims. (Cl. 36-67) This invention relates to sports shoes and more particularly to those shoes requiring the use of removable spikes or cleats on the soles thereof.

For many years spiked soled sport shoes have been used in athletic contests such as track, football, golf and the like. The spikes constantly are damaged and must be replaced so that the removability of the spikes is important. In certain uses of spiked shoes it is desirable to keep the weight of the shoe at a minimum so as to aid the user in obtaining greater speed or longer continuous use without tiring. The shoe must also be made with the construction of the soles of such a nature that the spikes will not form indentations into the insole and accordingly cause pressure on the foot of the user.

It is therefore a principal object of this invention to provide an improved sports shoe that is light in weight and of such construction as not to indent the foot of the user.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved sports shoe using standard detachable spikes of various length for various different surfaces.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved track shoe having improved means for anchoring the spike to the sole of the shoe in a non-crushing relationship.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide an improved track shoe having means for reducing the thickness and weight of the washer means without reducing its spacing characteristics between the spike and the sole.

And still another object of this invention is to provide an improved sports shoe having the parts arranged so that the spike will not be forced into indenting relation on the inside of the shoe.

And a still further object of this invention is to provide an improved sports shoe wherein the anchors for the spikes are molded into the intermediate sole so as to encase them integrally and in a non-turning relationship therewith.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out in the following description taken in connection with the drawings wherein:

FIGURE l is a perspective view showing the undersurface of a shoe sole having a number of spikes in place;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged vertical cross section taken on the line 2-2 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 vis a cross sectional vie-w taken on the lines 3 3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a top view of an anchor or bushing removed from the molded sole plate;

FIGURE 5 is a cross sectional view taken along the lines 5 5 of FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 6 is a bottom View of the molded plastic sole plate of the shoe with bushings in place therein.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to FIGURES l and 2 thereof, the front portion of a sport shoe 10 is shown. The shoe comprises a sole 12, a toe upper 14, an arch or instep 16, and a heel portion (not shown). The sole 12 and in particular that portion forward of the instep or arch 16 is laminated and is comprised of an insole 18, an intermediate molded plastic plate 20, and an outersole 22. The insole 18, plate 20 and outersole 22 are bonded together so as to form substantially the one-piece sole 12. The plate 20, as shown in FIGURE 6, is shaped around its major pe-riphery to "ice conform to the shape of that portion of the shoe from just in front of the arch to and including the toes of the shoe.

The plate 20 is of molded plastic material such as Delrin or nylon and has embedded therein one or more sockets or bushings 24. The bushings 24 are comprised of a shank portion 26 and a ared head portion 28. The head portion 28 is V-notched at 30 so as to form indented portions with respect to the outer circumference of said head portion 28. The bushing 24 is threaded at 25 throughout its axial length and is adapted to be molded into the plate 20 so that the plastic material will flow into the notches 30 and encase the outer surfaces of the bushing 24 so as to anchor the bushing in the plate 20. The notching of the head and the encasing of the surfaces of the bushing by the plastic material will create a fixed construction such that the bushing will not break loose and will not turn relative to plate 20. FIGURE 2 illustrates the head portion 28 of the bushing 24 completely embedded in the plate 20 with plastic material between the portion 28 and the inner surface of the plate 20. It is contemplated that the axial face of the head portion 28 could be iiush with the inner surfaceof the plate 26 without departing from my invention.

The axial face 32 of the shank 26 of the bushing 24 is flush with lower face 34 of the molded plate 20. The threads 25 of the bushing 24 are adapted to align with an aperture 36 formed in the outersole 22 of the shoe. Each bushing 24 is so aligned with the apertures 36 in the outersole that ready access through the outsole into the bushing can be obtaine-d. The diameter of the apertures 36 is substantially equal to the diameters of the threads 25 in the Shanks 26 of the bushings 24 so that the axial face 32 of each shank 36 abuts against the inner surface of the outersole about the apertures 36 in said outersole. With the bushings 24 molded into the plate 20, the plate 20 can be bonded to the insole 18 which has been previously attached to the shoe upper 14. The outersole 22 is then bonded to the plate 20 and the peripheral edges of the assembled insole 18 and upper 14.

Spikes 40 are removably attached to the sole 12 by means of the threaded bushings 24. Each spike 46 has a pointed portion 42 on one end thereof which ares outwardly to form a ledge or flange 44 with its abutting surface facing away from the direction of the pointed portion 42. A pair of flats 45 are formed on 'diametrically opposite sides of the pointed portion 42 of each spike 4i? near the flanged end of the pointed portion. The ats 45 provide gripping surfaces for receiving a tool used in inserting or removing the spike. The spike has a cylindrical body portion 46 which is formed integrally with the pointed portion 42 and has threads extending substantially throughout the end portion 48 thereof. The length, number and type of threads and size ofthe spike 40 are relatively standard in the trade for each typeof shoe. That is, spike shoes are standard for track shoes, for football shoes, for golf shoes and the like.

A washer 50 is provided for each spike 40 and is comprised of a disc shaped body portion 52 having an aperture 54 therethrough. A rim or ridge 56 is formed concentrically about the aperture 54 in relatively close relation to the edge of said aperture. The diameter of said rim or ridge 56 is slightly less than the diameter of said ange 44 on the spikes 40. The washer 50 is made of relatively thin metal but due to the rim or ridge 56 being struck axially of the washer, the effective depth or thickness of the washe-r is considerably greater than the actual thickness ofthe metal making up the washer.

A spike 40 is threaded through one washer 50 with the ledge 44 rof the spike engaging the crown of the ridge 56 on the washer. The threaded end 46 of the spike is screwed into the threads 25 in the bushing 24 until the major flat face of the washer 5t) is engaged with the outer surface of the outersole 22. The spike is tightened so as to rrnly engage the washer to the shoe so that the spike will not be readily loosened. The ridge 56 on the washer 50 spaces the spike relative to the sole of the shoe in proper position for use.

Since the lengths of the spikes and their threads are established as a standard, it is necessary that the anchor` ing means provide sufficient threads and spacing that the standard spike can be used without modication and with out excessive bulging of the insole or extension beyond the sole of the-shoe.

The ridged thin washer 50 not only provides the proper spacing for the spike from the outersole of the shoe, but also provides the proper anchoring effect to the shoe. By thinning down the washer 50, weight is removed from the track shoe which aids the user in increasing his speed or distance. At least one instance wherein the ridged washer was used, a four ounce track shoes weight was reduced by 0.2 of an ounce, which is a substantial weight saving which may contribute considerably to increasing the runners speed or permitting a runner to run greater distance at a faster pace.

With the ledge 44 of the spike engaging the crown of the ridge 56 in the washer 59, the edge of the washer around the aperture 54 bears against the edge of the outersole around the edge of the aperture 36 in said outerl sole to clamp the outersole between the washer 50 and the axial face 32 of the bushing 24 and the lower face 34 of the molded plate 20. The clamping action will assist in spacing the spike relative to the bushing 24 so as to prevent the spike from urging the bushing inward toward the foot of the user.

While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, it has been shown in the drawings and described in detail an embodiment of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to beconsidered as an exemplication of the principles of'the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated. The scope of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims.

I claim:

I.. In a shoe for sport we-ar having an outsole and an intermediate molded plastic plate abutting said outsole in face to face relation, a threaded bushing molded into said plate, said bushing having a cylindrical shank portion with an axial end face abutting against the inner face of said Y outsole around the edge of an aperture in said outsole, a

washer against the outer face of said insole having an aperture extending therethrough, and a threaded spike having one end projecting through said aperture in said washer and being threaded into said bushing with a laterally extending flange on said spike abutting against said washer whereby said flange on said spike urges said Washer and said outsole against the axial end face of said bushing andmolded plastic plate to secure said spike to said shoe.

2. A shoe as claimed in claim 1 wherein said washer has an axially extending raised rim formed about said aperture in said washer and said rim on said washer being engaged by said ange on said spike for securing said spike to said shoe and for spacing said spike from the outsole of said shoe.

3. In a shoe for sport wear having an insole, an outsole and an intermediate molded plastic plate sandwiched between said insole and said outsole, a threaded bushing molded into said plate, said bushing having a cylindrical shank portion and a flared notched end portion embedded in said molded plate, an axial end face of said shank portion abutting against the inner face of said outsole around the edge of an Vaperture in said outsole aligned with the threaded portion of said bushing, a washer against the outer face of said outsole having a raised rim formed about an aperture extending therethrough, and a threaded spike having one end projecting through said aperture in said washer and said aperture in said outsole and being threaded into said bushing with a laterally extending flange on said spike abutting against said raised rim on said washer whereby said flange on said spike urges said washer and said outsole against the axial end face of said bushing and said molded plastic plate to secure the spike to said shoe.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS PATRCK D. LAV/SON, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A SHOE FOR SPORT WEAR HAVING AN OUTSOLE AND AN INTERMEDIATE MOLDED PLASTIC PLATE ABUTTING SAID OUTSOLE IN FACE TO FACE RELATION, A THREADED BUSHING MOLDED INTO SAID PLATE, SAID BUSHING HAVING A CYLINDRICAL SHANK PORTION WITH AN AXIAL END FACE ABUTTING AGAINST THE INNER FACE OF SAID OUTSOLE AROUND THE EDGE OF AN APERTURE IN SAID OUTSOLE, A WASHER AGAINST THE OUTER FACE OF SAID INSOLE HAVING AN APERTURE EXTENDING THERETHROUGH, AND A THREADED SPIKE HAVING ONE END PROJECTING THROUGH SAID APERTURE IN SAID WASHER AND BEING THREADED INTO SAID BUSHING WITH A LATERALLY EXTENDING FLANGE ON SAID SPIKE ABUTTING AGAINST SAID WASHER WHEREBY SAID FLANGE ON SAID SPIKE URGES SAID WASHER AND SAID OUTSOLE AGAINST THE AXIAL END FACE OF SAID BUSHING AND MOLDED PLASTIC PLATE TO SECURE SAID SPIKE TO SAID SHOE. 